The Walking Dead: Dead Man's Lullaby
by RandallsgurlTWD
Summary: Erica Dixon's world is spinning crazily in her head. People are dying, people are coming into her life! She just wishes that she'd be dead already. Until Erica Dixon meets Randall Culver, a young Texan boy you gets impaled and brought back to the Farm. Will Erica see the truth to her life through Randall? Or will she have an adventure and a first love in the world of the dead?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"The Kid"

'BANG! BANG! BANG!' Three gunshots to the two men. Rick stood before the fat one who fell to his side on the ground. The man's blood drained from his head and heart. One shot to the small one behind the bar, and two to the fat one, one to the head and heart. Lovely, more blood, how wonderful!

"Holy…shit." Glenn gasped as he walked up beside Rick and Hershel. Rick lowered his gun to his side and bowed his head.

"At least we're safe." Rick spoke to soon. A truck had pulled up, shining it's bright lights in through the dusty windows. "Get down!" Rick and Glenn, and Hershel quickly crouched down behind the door. The lights that lit up the joint dimmed. There were three voices, and three closing doors. Each slam sped Glenn's heart up quicker.

"I heard gunshots." a man said out side of the bar.

"I did too." Another guy said, his voice was much more deeper, but sounded younger.

"Spread out. They gotta be here somewhere!" Man number 3 growled. The men all ran off in different directions. Rick, Glenn, and Hershel all sat still, listening.

The fire burned high into the air, setting a cloud of smoke over Erica and Daryl. It was the same night of the execution of Sophia. Daryl was really upset, he barely spoke to his niece. Erica just sat there, her legs were bent in against her chest. She had a crappy blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He was cooking squirrel meat for the two of them.

Carol came running up to them, she had a brooding look. "Carol, what's wrong?" Erica asked.

Fighting to catch her breathe, Carol said, "Lori's missing." Erica look worryingly at Daryl.

"Dumb bitch, must've gone herself." Daryl growled. Erica looked surprised at Daryl.

"Daryl? Wanna share somthin'?" Erica asked her Uncle.

"She came up here rambling on how Glenn and Rick went off. She asked me if I could help her find 'em." Daryl explained.

"You didn't saying anything?" Carol asked.

"Look lady! I'm not tell'n anyone anything anymore!" Daryl got up and yelled at Carol. He tossed the stick into the fire. "Git! Don't ya see that we're a 'lil busy?" Daryl raged with anger.

"Daryl! Enough." Erica stood up. Daryl looked at his niece, "just stop." Daryl rolled his eyes at her. Erica turned and looked to Carol, "I'll help ya guys. Just gimme a minute." Carol nodded and jogged off, probably back to the others. "Can't you at least cut her some slack? She just lost her 'lil kid." Daryl sat back down on the log.

"She don't need to be bringing her problems over to us." Daryl told Erica.

"Daryl, don't take this out on her. We all mourn differently." Erica tried explaining to him. "She saw her baby as a monster. You didn't, you saw her as Sophia." Erica had always been strong when proving a point. "I see you have so much guilt and anger built up inside of you when Rick took her out, you loved that kid, so does Carol."

"Her kid ain't my problem." Daryl snapped up at Erica.

Erica slapped Daryl aside of his ear, "Don't be saying it ain't! You searched, when you didn't have too!" Erica turned and ran off, leaving Daryl to drown in his suffering thoughts. She ran back with Carol, they met with Andrea, Maggie, Carl, Shane, and Dale. They were all standing around talking about this. "So she's gone?"

"Daryl said she asked him to go with her. She must've went herself to search for those two." Carol told everyone. Carl squeezed past Maggie and Andrea.

"She's gone?" He asked, barking up some tears. Andrea went to hold him but he pushed her open arms away from him.

"I'm gonna go looking for her." Shane said loading up his gun.

"I'll come with." Erica stepped forward and volunteered.

"Okay, alright." Shane turned and started for the SUV, Erica accepted Dale's sniper he wanted her to take when they go, just in case. She got in the passengers side. Shane turned the SUV around and drove it off the farm, in search for Lori.

"Let's go." Rick started to stand, but stopped by another gunshot. He sat back next to the other two, silently he listened.

"Roamers. Their everywhere." Man one said. Rick peeked out the window next to him. Three guys stood outside the bar. One was just a kid, the other one was African american, and the other one had to be in his forties.

"Anyone check the bar?" The short old one asked, pushing the young kid.

"I'm sorry. I was looking around." The young one explained him self. The three men walked up to the bar.

"Dave. Tony? You in there?" The short one yelled. Rick, Glenn, and Hershel stayed silent. One of the men started opening the door. Glenn slipped in front of it, keeping it from opening. It slammed shut on the men. "The hell?" One of the men didn't like the plan. "Hey. Anybody in there?" The man asked. "We don't want any trouble. We're just looking for our friends."

"Vincent. C'mon. No ones there, let's go." The young kid started walking away, but the man grabbed him by the arm. "Git your hands off me."

"Listen to me you little jerk. Two of our men are missing, and I want to find them." The man growled, sending chills down the young one's spine. "Now, we can easily take you back to Atlanta, or you can shut the hell up." The man suggested.

"You're acting like fools, standing around here, calling out two dead guys' names." The young one talked out again.

"That's it. When we get back, you're finished." The man yelled at the kid.

"Just because I'm speaking my mind?" The young one fought back. "I'm done." The young said.

"You walk away. You're not coming back!" Vincent yelled out.

"They drew on us!" Rick yelled out, trying to distract the man from the kid. The men out side of the bar stopped and listened.

"Dave and Tony in there?" The man re-asked. Hershel sighed deeply, not understanding what Rick just did.

"Their dead." Rick yelled to Vincent.

"Let's go." The African said to Vincent. The man pulled his arm away from the African.

"No, I'm not gonna let some ass hole in a bar get away with this." Vincent whispered to the guy. The young kid tried easing himself away from the bar. Until Vincent started popping off rounds through the windows.

"Get out of here!" Rick yelled as he stood up, shooting his python off through the shattered window. The men scattered in different directions. One ran behind the truck, the African ran to the right, and the kid just disappeared. Glenn and Hershel hid, waiting for Rick's plan. Everything became quiet all over again. There was a noise that came from the back of the bar. Glenn started towards the back, grasping the gun tightly in his grip. He moved slowly towards the door. He opened it and saw a shadow behind the door. Glenn aimed his shotgun and squeezed the trigger. It blasted the window it out, the shadow ducked and ran off down the outside alley.

"Glenn!?" Rick called out. Glenn dropped the gun to his side.

"I'm fine." Glenn yelled to Rick. Hershel came out of the main room with his gun out and ready.

"Rick wants you to try for the truck." Hershel told Glenn. Glenn sighed deeply. "You'll try and succeed. I'll be behind ya." Hershel assured Glenn. Glenn nodded, he wanted to show Hershel he's brave. He turned and started for the door, he opened it slowly and slipped out into the alley. Glenn tried heading for the truck, until a bullet flashed past him, almost hitting his back. Hershel swung around and shot the African guy in the chest. The man fell to the grass, crying out in pain.

"SEAN?" Hershel looked at the other end of the alley way. The young kid was running down it, he dropped his sniper on the ground. "Sean!" The kid landed by the man's side. "Oh man! I don't know what to do." The young kid started worrying. "Vincent!" He looked around for his friend.

"What happened?" Rick ran up to Hershel who stood behind the door.

"He fired. I think he hit Glenn." Rick peeked out the door. "Rick. The kid is gone." Rick looked back, the man lied on the ground yelling, the young one was missing.

"Keep an eye out." Rick told Hershel as he eased his way towards Glenn. "You okay?" Glenn was on the ground, panting. Rick hid behind the dumpster with Glenn. "Okay? We're almost home." Rick patted Glenn on the back.

"Ok." He answered.

"Let's go." Rick stood up. 'BANG' a bullet struck the dumpster. Glenn and Rick hid again. The young kid was up on top of the Pharmacy, with another gun. Vincent skidded up the street and came to a halt in front of the Pharmacy.

"C'MON!" Vincent yelled out of the window. The young kid leaned over the ledge.

"WE CAN'T LEAVE SEAN BEHIND!" The kid yelled down to Vincent.

"The roamers got to him!" Vincent yelled to the young one. "Jump!" The kid slowly stepped up on the ledge. He looked down in the pit of darkness, not knowing what he was going to land on. The fear of the unknowing swelled up inside of him. "Hurry it up!" The kid gulped and jumped. He felt the sharp pains in his wrist when he landed on a slanted roof, then rolled off.

"AHHHH!" Rick and Glenn looked to each other, terrified of the screaming.

"I'm sorry!" The man yelled, driving off in high speed.

"Nooo! HELP! ME!" The young kid screamed out. Rick was becoming sick and worried.

"Get Hershel!" He jumped up and ran to the opposite side of the street. The young kid's leg had been impaled to a dull fence. The kid had excruciating pains running up and down his leg. He could barely feel his toes, he could barely feel anything else in his body, the pain took up most of his feeling. "Oh my god." Rick muttered. The kid cried, the pain was killing him. Needle pains ripped into the kid's stomach, his leg burned like someone had it roasting over a burner. "You're fine."

"How am I fine?" He asked lying on his back. Slamming his fists down on the lid of the dumpster. "AHHH!" He yelled again.

"Shush." Rick put his finger to his lips.

"Rick!" Hershel and Glenn ran towards Rick. Glenn stopped and covered his mouth when he saw the boy on the fence. "We got to go!"

"NO!" The kid yelped again. Afraid of being left behind so the walkers could fest on him. He's helpless as long as he's impaled to the fence.

"I'm sorry son, but we gotta go." Hershel patted the kid's knee.

"We can't leave him." Rick said sternly. He was standing by the kid's side on this one.

"He was just shooting at us!" Glenn yelled at Rick.

"Jesus, Glenn! He's just a kid." Rick said in a worried sickness. Hershel turned to the kid's leg.

"There's no way getting it off in one piece. The fence went clean through." Hershel checked it. The kid cried hard.

"Can't we just take the leg off?" Glenn put an idea into Rick's head.

"Do we still of a hatchet in the truck?" Rick asked. Glenn thought and remembered he had to use it.

"No." He answered.

"No. No. No. Please don't cut my leg off!" The kid begged desperately to the three guys. Rick took a knife out of the kid's sneaker.

"Will this cut through?" Rick asked Hershel. Hershel nodded and took the knife from him.

"I'm gonna have to start from cutting under the tibia. He's going to loose his leg." Hershel told Rick. The kid's eyes grew large from those words.

"No choice." Rick said to Hershel. Walking towards the kid on the fence.

"Oh god…" The kid breathed out. Rick shoved the boy's chest down on the dumpster. Hershel grabbed a stick and placed across the kid's leg, then tied his shirt around the boy's leg.

"AHHH-" Rick covered the boy's mouth so he wouldn't attract the dead.

"Shut up!" Rick growled in the boy's ear. Glenn started firing off shots in the distances. Walkers were coming out of the woods, hungry and waiting. Suddenly, there were walkers coming up through the alley. "Oh god. Their everywhere." He lifted his gun and started shooting them. "Running low on ammo!"

"Hershel! We gotta go!" Glenn yelled.

"I need more time!" Hershel shoved the knife into the kid's leg, and ripped it up through the skin.

"Hershel! Now!" Rick ran out of the alley way. The kid reached forward, hypervenelating.

"Wait! No! Please don't leave! Please! No!" Rick couldn't bare his screams, he stopped and looked back at the boy. He saw that the kid was afraid, confused, and hurting terribly. It was the boy or the other two. Walkers were squirming and shuffling up behind the kid. "Oh god. Please! Don't do this!" The kid lied back again, with his eyes closed.

"RICK! He isn't one of us! LET'S GO!" Glenn yelled in rage to Rick. Rick thought about what the kid might feel if they leave him to the walker's. The dead sinking their teeth into his flesh, the ripping him apart. Rick turned and tossed the keys to Glenn, and ran back the boy. He squeezed the leg tightly and ripped it upwards off the fence. The boy screamed.

"C'mon." Rick said to him, dragging the kid off the dumpster. He put the boy's arm around his neck. "You gotta help. Try using your other leg." The boy lifted himself up with his good leg. Rick provided the kid support. He got the back door open and pushed the kid into the truck. Then got in and closed the door. "GET US OUT OF HERE!" Glenn hit the gas, the truck flew forward. "Hershel! We need to stop the bleeding!"

"Straighten out his leg!" Rick straightened the kid's leg out forward. "No tie it very tight around the wound with this." He handed Rick a cloth, Rick wrapped the cloth around the kid's leg and tightened it to the point he yelled in pain.

"Hurry home." Rick whispered to Glenn, as he allowed the kid's leg to rest on his lap. The kid past out from blood lost.

"Look!" Erica pointed forward. Shane shined his headlights on a figure in the road. "Is it her?" She asked him. He slowed the vehicle down some.

"Shit." He stopped the truck. Erica got out and ran up to Lori, she gave her a big hug. "What the hell happened?" He asked her.

"There was a walker in the road." She tried explaining.

"C'mon, let's git ya cleaned up." Erica took Lori's hand and led her back to the SUV. Shane drove the two of them back to the farm, right when they pulled up, Glenn had drove the truck onto the land. Lori jumped out of the truck, running towards Rick as he got out of the SUV.

"Oh god! You're alive." She hugged her husband. Rick held her tightly. Carl ran up to them, slamming his body against Rick's.

"Who's that?" T-DOG asked Rick, reffering to the kid in the truck.

"Don't know yet. But, he's hurt badly." Glenn exclaimed. Everyone started walking up closer to the SUV, but Rick pushed Shane away from the vehicle. Then opened the door, lifted the kid out of it. They all saw the blood on his lower leg, it was drenched in blood!

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery." Hershel commaned the little woman. She did as he asked and rushed into the house for the surgercal supplies. Rick and Glenn dragged the kid to the shed.

"We should've left him." Glenn huffed. Rick groaned for his answer.

"That's what you wanted, not what he wanted." Rick told Glenn, Daryl opened the door, helping Rick and Glenn lift the kid up onto the table. "Daryl ripped a hole in his jeans." Daryl grabbed both sides of the kids jeans, 'SHRIP!'

I hope you guys liked this chapter! Please tell me how it is, COMMENT, LIKE, and keep reading the rest of it! I will promise you there will be lots of DARYL DIXON and more to come! Just keep reading peoples! PLEASE PLEASE! I won't write anymore unless you tell me what needs to be fixed!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Tied up!"

Daryl held the kid's chest down as instructed, by Hershel having Rick hold down his good leg, Dog and Glenn holding down his arms, the kid opened his eyes, looked around and nearly pissed himself. Hershel leaned over the bed. "Son I need to set your leg right, you'll have to relax, no one will hurt you, not while I'm here, this is gonna hurt, just, try to relax." The old man made his way back to the kid's bad leg, "before I do any of this, and you pass out from the pain for only God knows how long, could you tell me your name?" The kid looked around at them nervously.

"Ra-Randall." The kid clinched his teeth fighting off what ever pain which might be causing him. The boy wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted them just to shoot him and get it over with. He too wasn't happy with the mistake that he and those 'other guys' made last night. Rick stared down at the boy for quite a awhile as Hershel spoke to T-Dog about getting a needle and some thread.

"On three. One…two…thr-"

"Stop!" Rick grabbed Hershel's arm. "Will you be able to save him?" Rick was worried about Randall, he didn't want to loose the boy, he wanted him alive safe. Everyone went quiet for a minute, all there was of noise was Randall's nervous breathing. Hershel moved his eyes on Randall, and sighed deeply.

"Depends on the surgery." Hershel told Rick. "Depends on the blood loss."

"I need an answer." Rick asked sternly.

"Maybe." Hershel whispered so Randall wouldn't freak out.

"What?" Randall asked. "will I?" Randall was trying to hold back his tears of fear. Everyone's grip loosened on Randall's limbs that they were suppose to hold down. Hershel used a match's flame to sterilize the needle, just the size and sharp point made Randall squirm. "No." He mumbled. Rick grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him in place at the moment.

"Okay. Son, I need you to relax and try not to move as much." Hershel leaned in towards Daryl. "Actually loop your arm around his chest, he'll jerk, he's pretty strong." Daryl nodded and got on one knee, leveling himself with Randall's shoulders. Daryl slowly curled his arm around Randall's neck, and held him in place. "Not to tight, or he might hurt his neck." Hershel tied the thread through the hole of the needle.

"Oh…god." Rick sighed. Hershel grabbed a hold of Randall's bad leg and gripped it. Randall was thrashing around and squirming. He dug his fingers into the sides of the table, practically making his fingers bleed under the nails.

Hershel twisted Randall's leg, you could hear his bone move! Randall let out a painful, horrid scream from the pain that Hershel was causing him. Next you knew, Randall's head fell to one side and his eyes closed shut. His fingers froze, and so did the squirming. Everyone let go and looked at Hershel.

"He dead?" Daryl asked. Rick's nerves jumped, he quickly rested his head on Randall's chest and listened. Daryl grew impatient. "Well?"

"I can't hear anything." Rick told Hershel. "Was that suppose to happen that quickly?" Rick asked Hershel.

"No. No, not until put the medicine in him to dope him up." Hershel didn't know what to do! Rick was sick to his stomach. Rick started pushing on the kid's chest. Hershel placed the heartbeat thing on Randall's chest. "There's a heart beat, but it's faint. Let's just finish the surgery." Hershel did what he insisted on doing. After he was finished he slipped the needle through the boy's leg flesh and out the other side. After sewing up the wound he snapped the remaining thread off. He then used a towel to clean up the blood from the boy's leg. Rick stood there watching, thinking, and hoping the boy would live.

"He's gaining movement." Patricia said. Rick watched the boy's fingers twitch, "He might just wake soon." Patricia said to Hershel.

"We'll keep him in the shed." _Is that the best idea?_ Rick thought to himself. "You brought him here, you'll have decide his destiny." Hershel said to Rick. The old guy turned and started for the door, but Rick stopped him.

"Can't we…keep him rested in a bed?" Rick asked, Hershel shook his head.

"Did you forget 'bout what he pulled?" Rick looked back down at his shoes, "put him in the shed." Hershel squeezed between Rick and Lori that was coming in. She looked over at Randall, then at Rick.

"Who's that?" She whispered.

"Randall." Rick told her, she just stared and stared.

"Was he…uh, bit?" Lori asked Rick, he shook his head. "Then what's all that blood?"

"He was impaled." Rick explained to her.

"Everyone is waiting for information." Rick accepted it and went past her. He and her went into the dining room where everyone was waiting.

"So, what happened?" Shane asked Rick.

"Just a problem that was fixed." Rick reassured everyone.

"Problem? He shot at you three! And you just fixed it?" Shane chuckled rudely.

"Is he gonna die?" Carol asked Hershel. Hershel looked to Rick, who just stayed quiet.

"No. He's okay." Hershel told everyone.

"How are you so sure?" Glenn asked Hershel. "He bled out a lot. He was white as hell, and he's gonna live?" Glenn was hazed with questions.

"There were five guys, you shot and killed three of them, and took the other one hostage, and they ain't gonna come looking for him?" Shane grinned, standing in his usual position leaned against the wall.

"They left him, hurt and afraid, in the cold. Their not coming for him." Rick strongly believed Randall was a good person, and his mistake could be over looked easily.

"He isn't a lost dog." Shane laughed out loud. No one looked amused by his words. "It's just another mouth to feed."

"Shane, he's just a kid, he didn't know better. He was scared." Rick tried telling Shane.

"I'm gonna get him some chocolates and roses!" Shane smirked and walked past everyone, "Look at this folks, we're back in fantasy land!"

"Excuse me." Hershel stopped Shane. "I wanted you off this farm, but Rick talked me out of it. This is my farm, my rules, and my patients. Lemme give you advice, keep your mouth shut or get off my land." Hershel didn't break once, he straightly told Shane the truth and how everything was going to be.

"Look, we're not gonna do anything right now. Let's all relax." Rick told everyone.

"Git ya dumb ass out of my chair!" Daryl yelled at Erica. She just sat there smiling at him, he grunted at her. "Want me to shoot ya?" He threatened.

"Oh! Mister slayer, save me from this sizzling heat!" Erica joked as she hung upside down in his chair. "It's cooking my squrriels." She chuckled.

"Git." He pointed his finger behind him.

"Ugh…fine. You're no fun." She got up and sat in the other chair. She's is the only person he knows that wears tank tops with a flannel over it that's ripped at the sleave, blue Levi jeans and cowboy boots. "What's the news with that boy?" She asked him, he shrugged as he sharpened his knife.

"Got himself impaled, someth'n like that." Daryl discussed. Erica was interested, she was only seventeen so everything was interesting to her.

"Were they keeping the kid?" She asked.

"Erica! Stay away from him, we don't know anything 'bout him." Daryl told her.

"Fine." She turned and trotted off towards the farm house. "I'm just gonna have to find out my self." She whispered to her self with an evil grin.

Rick slowly walked up to the shed, T-Dog was locking the wooden door up. "How is he?" Rick asked T-Dog.

"Confused, and in pain." T-Dog told Rick. "Any idea 'bout the kid?"

"No, not at all." Rick sighed, T-Dog scratched his bald head. "I'm gonna think 'bout it."

"You should. Rick, think carefully." T-Dog chuckled, he walked off in the other direction. Rick stood before the door.

"So…you stuck?" Rick turned around, Erica was walking towards him. "What's his name?" She asked him as she walked up to the door and peeked through a crack.

"You could say that." Rick thought a bit. "Randall." He answered her question.

"Randall?" She asked him, he nodded. "Hmm. I'm curious, is his leg okay?" Erica asked another, almost irritating Rick.

"Yeah." Rick told Erica. "When he's stable, I'm taking him out and leaving somewhere." Erica sensed the care Rick had for Randall.

"You care for him." She told him. He knew he did, but he brushed it off because the group couldn't know it. "Rick, keep him here. Maybe I could use him for something." Erica put her hands in her pockets and walked around Rick with her head up.

"Like what?" Rick rested his hand on his python. He wasn't sure about what she was saying, and since she was part of the Dixon montage, he didn't really trust her. Erica had a mix of Daryl and Merle in her, part of her is a loose cannon with no remorse for the living, and the other side is someone who can get into your head. The thing is, she was actually different.

"That…I don't know." She sighed, rolling her head. "But, if I were you, I'd keep an eye on your buddy." Erica's eyes spotted Shane, he was walking in a alarming way. Shane rubbed his head, even he has no hair on his head. There's gotta be something wrong with that guy. "Have fun." Erica turned and walked in the other direction. Rick stood there watching her for a minute.

"Erica, where you going?" Rick called out to her, she stopped and looked at him.

"Going out." she told him. "I have to get some things, personal." She explained to him. Rick nodded to her. Erica had a beatific look on her face, that was the first time she had a expression like that.

"So what ya gonna do?" Shane asked Rick, Rick shrugged. "I think you're have the wrong idea on this Rick." Shane had a shamed-face. Rick saw that Shane wasn't agreeing with him again on this decision.

"We're gonna take him out and leave him." Rick started away from Shane. But, Shane launched his hand out to Rick.

"You really believe letting this shit somewhere is making everything okay?" Shane had a second opinnion on this, one that Rick did not like.

"At least he's alive, and away from the group." Rick replied with a promising voice. Shane remained still as Rick strutted away from him.

"I really think you're wrong 'bout this. Really do." Shane uttered harshly to Rick, he left in the other direction. Rick didn't know what to do! He saw the hurt and how those men abandoned Randall last night. Just the words Randall yelled to Rick before they were going to leave him shattered Rick emotionally. He doesn't want to leave Randall behind either. Yeah, he might've done something wrong, but it was a mistake, he's a kid he didn't know better. If it was just Rick, Carl, and Lori, he'd keep Randall with them. But, he's taking care of a whole clan of scared people, so it's up to them not him.

Rick looked back at the shed, hoping his decision wasn't to kill him. This had to be the hardest decision Rick has ever been entitled to think about.

Rick went back to his tent, there Lori and Carl were talking. Carl smiled at his father, as Rick ran his fingers through the young boy's hair. Carl's little smile and crystal clear eyes put a smile on Rick's face. "What are you gonna do?" Lori asked Rick.

"Tomorrow, Shane and I are gonna take him out and leave him." Rick explained to his wife. His eye was caught when he noticed her expression. "Do you have something else to say?" Rick asked her.

"No." Lori shook her head. Rick nodded to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. The words are rolling on her tongue, their like little needles poking at her to tell him about her and Shane, but she couldn't hurt him. Rick sat on the cot and lied back on the pillow. Lori sat down next to Carl and stared out side.

Andrea had spotted seen Erica heading toward the RV, where she was taking watch from. Erica ignored Andrea and walked right up to Glenn who was standing in front of the RV. "Hey, Erica." He wasn't unsure if she had come to punch him in the face. "You're not gonna hurt me right?" Glenn flinched a little.

"Nah. Why'd ya be think'n like that?" She asked him. Glenn shrugged with the wrench in his hand. "Anyways, what's up with that Randall kid?" Erica wasn't getting any

information out of anyone about that Randy kid.

"Nothing, just a bunch of crap 'bout leaving him somewhere." Glenn turned back to his tool box.

"What's he look like?" Erica asked Glenn, leaning back against the RV front, with a curious smile on her pretty little face. Glenn stopped and looked at her. "What? I git lonely now and then." She laughed.

"Ugly, puney, and annoying. Zits everywhere. He'd kill any walker by just his damn looks." Glenn told Erica, he watched her girly smile minimize into a disturbed grin.

"Seriously?" She asked down casting her eyes.

"Seriously. The well walker was prettier that Randall." Glenn turned his back to Erica.

"Well, you didn't say he looked like a monkey." Erica slapped Glenn's back hard, he flew against the rim of the RV.

"Ouch!" Glenn said out loud to her, she turned and strutted off.

"Don't hurt ya self, Andrea." Erica said. Andrea looked down, noticing that her sniper was pointing upward at her face, even though her finger was on the trigger. Andrea rolled her eyes and sighed frustratingly.

"Bitch." Andrea uttered the words under her breathe. Erica stuck her middle finger up at her as she walked away from the blonde idiot perched up on the RV. "Well, screw you!" Andrea yelled to Erica. "Haha." Andrea laughed to herself. She then was bothered by the gun, so she tossed it off to the side.

It was the day after, early in the morning, right about when the sun was rising just above the mountains off to the East. Rick was clearing out the back of the SUV to fit Randall in. Shane and him were going to drive Randall out to the Middle School parking lot, and leave him there. And maybe scavenge for some supplies to bring back. Rick pushed the two gasoline cases against the seat to make room for Randall's legs. He then walked back to the shed. Rick put in the combination to the lock. 20-14-10. The master lock loosened and gained access to the shed. Rick opened the door and went inside. There he stopped, looking down at Randall who was a sleep on a pile of coats. Rick new that the kid must've had a hard time trying to get comfortable. Randall's arms were hand cuffed behind his back, and his leg had just gotten surgery. Even though it was the day after, they needed him gone.

Rick ignored his guilty feelings and roughly grabbed Randall's arms. Randall was waking up quickly as Rick shoved the kid forward to take the chains that were linked to the cuffs off. After lying the heavy, rusted links behind Randall, Rick slipped a beenie over Randall's head. Rick un cuffed Randall, and replaced the metal hoops with rope. He tied the rope tightly around Randall's wrists. Then lifted him up off the ground, and helped him limp to the SUV. There he lied him in the back bed of the vehicle, and tied his legs together.

Finally, that was over with. Rick and Shane got in the vehicle and started off the land. It had felt like hours of driving. They had stopped and had a conversation, but then got back in and drove off again. The heat was stacking up on the two of them. Hell, Randall's got to be dying of thirst back there. Rick looked at Shane. "Maybe we should get him something to drink." Rick suggested.

"Rick, ya can't let him git to ya." Shane told Rick. Rick looked away, he just stared out forward.

"He's still human." Rick muttered. Shane just scanned Rick up and down, thinking about how much this guy is looney. Shane can't understand why Rick is caving in because of some kid that they picked up. After, driving past fields of grass, they had finally reached a town. Rick was happy to find the Middle School, his leg and hand had gone to sleep. He turned the vehicle into the parking lot of the school. But, he was satisfied with the area they were going to leave Randall at, Rick wanted a more closed off area so Randall can get out safely. Rick took the key out of the ignition and got out. "I'm taking him into the court yard." Rick told Shane who just stared at him with his jaw hanging down. Rick opened the back door of the vehicle and grabbed a grip of Randall. Shane came over and helped, he took the left arm, Rick took a hold of the other side.

The two men pushed Randall into the School yard. Shane and Rick pushed Randall onto his knees. Then took the blind fold off of his head. Then ripped the duct tape off of his mouth. Randall took a good wif of fresh air. Rick and Shane started walking away from Randall.

"No…hey!" Randall yelled to them. "C'mon! I owe ya guys. I can protect what got!" Randall yelled to them, trying to get them not to leave him alone. "I'm just one guy! That's why I with 'em guys, I was alone! One guy can't take on those things alone." Randall was trying everything in his power to get Rick and Shane to take him back with them, but Shane was keeping that from happening. "Please! Don't leave!" Rick stopped again. Shane took a hold of Rick's arm and pulled him to walk again. Rick took his knife out and tossed to the black top. "I know Maggie for god's sake!" Randall yelled again. Just that alone froze Rick and Shane. They both looked at each other, then at Randall. He knew that worked, "I-I rolled the bench of Barsley Baseball, uh…" He was trying to think.

"You know Maggie?" Rick pushed past Shane with the question.

"Rick, don't." Shane groaned. Rick walked up and stopped.

"She didn't know me. She didn't even know I existed. I never talked to her, I just helped her dad around their farm." Randall explained. Rick stood there looking at Randall, part of him knows that he's one of them.

"He knows where the farm is at. Take the shot." Shane turned his back on Randall and spoke to Rick. "Or I will."

"He's one of us." Rick said to Shane. Shane then looked darkly at Rick. Shane took his gun out from his belt loop and spun around to shoot Randall. "SHANE! NO!" Rick pushed Shane down right when he pulled the trigger. The bullet sparked out, piercing the ground beside Randall's shoulder.

"Shit!" Randall yelled as he tipped him self over onto his back.

"I will not let you kill him!" Rick growled through his teeth at Shane. Shane got up and wiped off his pants.

"I don't think you can protect them." Shane mumbled. Rick looked at his friend in fury. Rick then threw a punch at Shane. That's when a whole fight broke out. While they were distracted, Randall found it the perfect moment it to escape, but first he needs the knife. He rolled onto his side and crawled to the knife. When he got to it, he had to grab from behind him and saw the ropes that binded his legs together off. His leg had started hurting him again, but getting free was more important than his leg. Finally, the ropes came a part, he slipped his hands under his feet. Then jumped up and started limping away towards the school.

Shane fired three shots accidently at the window behind Rick. They both stood there watching it, noticing something moving in front of it. "Oh my god." Rick muttered to himself, as he saw Randall limp into the school. "Shane." Rick pointed. Shane looked and sighed deeply. "C'mon1!" the two of them ran to the building. Randall was already going up the stairs. The building was huge! Randall could hear the two men running up the stairs after him, at least he had already turned a corner, but that didn't even loose 'em!

"Oh…man." Randall muttered. His heart pounded as he hurried along the lockers. He came to a stop when he heard a woman screaming 'Stop!' he leaned over the stairs. There was another woman running with her wrists cuffed. Some guy, Hispanic, tackled her to the ground. He was fighting her.

"Rick!" Randall looked down the hallway and saw the shadows of Shane and Rick. Randall knew he had to do something to help the girl.

"Shit." Randall whistled to Rick and Shane. Then turned and ran down the steps. Stunned as he saw a herd of walkers shuffle towards the girl and guy who fought each other. The guy looked up and started running in Randall's direction. The girl was screaming, due to the idea of being ripped apart. Randall limped towards her, but then a walker was crawling on top of her legs. She was trying to kick him off, but Randall noticed her ankle was broken. Randall reached out for her hand cuffs, when he gripped the links in the middle of the loops, he then dragged her away from the Walker that almost killed her. Randall dragged the girl by the cuffs into a bathroom. Then closed the door, securing with a metal pipe. Randall turned to the girl and put his finger to his lips. "Don't scream. There's two guys that wanna kill me." He whispered to her. She nodded to his understanding. "Thanks." Randall got up and went to the second door. It flew open and Rick grabbed Randall, slamming him face first in the wall. "I didn't do nuth'n!" Randall said to Rick.

"Right." Rick looked over and saw the girl pressed against the wall. "What'd you do?" Rick asked Randall, tightening his grip on his neck.

"Nothing! I swear it. I had saved her." Randall explained honestly to the two of them. Rick looked back at the girl who looked even more afraid. "Look man. I'm not gonna tell anyone nuth'n." Randall promised.

"Shut up." Rick turned him back around and slammed him against the wall. "Is there a way out?" Rick asked Shane.

"Not one that I see." Shane tried breaking the window, but it was like marble, it just chipped.

"Look. I saw an opening down the hall." Randall tried explaining, but Shane turned and punched Randall in the cheek, sending him to the ground. Rick then stepped in.

"Stop!" Rick yelled. "He doesn't deserve this right now." Rick pushed Shane away. "Let's go. Shane you'll carry the girl, and I'll take him." Shane picked the girl up off the ground, and went out first. Rick held Randall tightly by the arm.

"What were you thinking, running off?" Rick whispered to Randall. Randall looked at Rick confused.

"You were setting me free, remember? I just ran cause I was afraid of your friend." Randall admitted to Rick. Rick and him got outside the school, but stopped Randall.

"Shut up." Rick snapped at him.

"C'mon, let me go, man, I ain't tell'n anyone anything." Randall begged again, Rick grabbed him by the arm and yanked him forward.

"Rick, the truck is right there." Shane said to Rick as he held the girl in his arms.

"Get her in it." Rick ordered Shane. The man turned and marched back to the vehicle. "Let's go." Rick grabbed Randall's shoulder and dragged him to the truck, shoving him into it. Rick got in and drove off.


	3. Chapter 3

"Change"

Erica pushed her headphones into her ears, then turned up her song. Then started singing out loud, "Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs. With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love. I got a bottle of whatever, but it's getting us drunk. Singing here's to never growing up!" She twisted around, singing joyfully, forgetting that the world was even spinning. She watched her feet move across the ground, then lifted her head up and smiled to herself as she danced. "Here's to never growing up!" She sang brightly. "Bum. Bum. Bum. Bum!" She hummed, she kneeled down infront of a bunch of Cherokee roses and admired the colors. Remembering her mother's stories about the Trail of Tears and the story behind these gorgeous flowers. "I'm comin' for daddy, momma." Erica whispered, trying to fight her tears back. The next song came on, thrity minutes later into the song. "What the hell? You're on your knees, begging please..." Erica smiled again, thinking about the good times she had with her Uncle. Being a highschool drop out, riding motorcylces along side of him, just two months prior to the apocalypse. She was the 'bad girl' type. "La. La. La la la. La." A soft hand tapped Erica's shoulder, startling her to death. "Shit."

Erica whirled around to see Carl standing behind her. "Sorry." He chuckled. Erica didn't like kids, especially this one. "Hi...Erica." She stood up slowly, staring down at the little boy.

"What?!" She asked in a discordant way. She cocked her head off to aside, waiting for his answer.

Carl had a tiny crush on Erica, he seemed draumatized by the pink and green highlights in her hair. They did flatter her nicely, along with her mint green eyes, and light skin. Erica didn't like make up, so she never wore, or tried it on. "I just wanted to tell you that my dad brought the prisoner back."

"Oh." Erica said with a suprise, she looked off to the side, then looked back at him. She bend down a bit, hands on her knees. She gripped onto his left shoulder. "Tell me somethin' kid. Do I look the type to give a shit?" Erica became hard in her tone, tilting her head to one side, biting down on her bottom lip, waiting for an aswer.

"Uh...no?"

"Is that a question or answer?" She asked Carl, trying to get the wheels in his head spinning correctly.

He thought about it for a second, then answered, "Answer." Erica sighed deeply to herself. Then, she stood back up straight. "I also heard about your Uncle interrogating the prisoner." Erica looked back down at Carl. Erica is self centered, cold, obnoxious, and down right cocky, but abuse isn't in her nature.

"Where'd ya' hear this from, hmm?" She asked, turning back to her campsite up on the far hill. Carl followed behind her closely, keeping his eyes on the sways of her hips. Carl had over heard his father telling Lori how God granted two of the Dixons good looks. Lori had admitted that Daryl had handsome features, and how Erica is beautiful all the way, but both of them have rough attitudes. Erica isn't anyones' friend here on this farm, but god, doesn't she wish she had one just like her. Shane believes that this girl is a bad influence, just like her dad. She had lost her mom in start of the apocalypse, some group of guys rolled up and attacked their first camp, then left Joeanna for dead and naked. Part of Erica blames her Uncle Daryl for her mom's death, he was the one that promised her dad to look after them both.

"They had a group meeting this mornin' when Shane and Rick got back." Carl explained to Erica. She became even more curious, and wanted to know more about what's going on.

"So, anythin' else ya' heard 'bout this prisoner?" She asked Carl. He thought a second then grabbed onto some information about Randall.

"Well, his name is Randall-"

"Yeah, I got that."

"Sorry. Anyways, he went to the same high school with Maggie. He was in baseball with her, and-" Carl thought some more, "that he's just some guy." _Just some guy, huh? _Erica asked herself. Erica took the piece of gun out of her mouth and stuck it in Carl's hand.

"There. Now, go." Carl stared down at the open palm of his hand and frowned. "Go." She whispered. Carl walked off, feeling kind of happy about holding Erica Dixon's DNA in his hand. Off she went to find her Uncle.

* * *

"Finally! There you are." Erica greeted her Uncle wisely as she approached him from behind. He walked forward with his crossbow out and armed.

"What ya' need punk?" Daryl asked his little niece. Erica was a little touchy on the subject of interrogating a teenage boy that hasn't really done anything to harm people in the group. "Erica?" Erica remembered what she was doing in the woods.

"I heard 'bout the interrogation." Daryl knew that she still had some humanity left in her. He turned to face her, she picked at her finger nails. "I don't think this is the best thing. Or the best influence...on me." Daryl snickered to himself. "I don't think this is funny. I'm serious, Daryl."

"I volunteered to beat the shit out of this prick, kid."

"For what? Just to take yer' anger out on him?" Erica asked. She can tell that Daryl is mad about loosing Sophia. She knows that he's upset with Carol for something really stupid! But, she also knows in her cold, miserable heart that beating answers out of a young kid probably her age is wrong, and unnessary.

"Cause, Erica, I'm protecting ya'!" Daryl told her. Erica looked away, laughing to herself. "This is protection."

Erica looked back at her Uncle, "No. This is yer' protection." Daryl looked blankly at her. "Are ya' gonna promise me like ya' did for mom?" Erica asked walking around him. "Cause, she's dead Daryl."

Daryl put his hand up for her to stop, "Erica."

"What Daryl? Can't take the truth or somethin'? She thought you were comin' for her...she thought wrong didn't she."

"Erica, stop."

"I'm sorry. But, I ain't her. I'm not a toss 'round piece of trash that destroyed her 'lil girl's life." Tears formed along the rims of her eyes. Daryl saw the tears forming, and her loosing control of herself. "Admit it, once we cross paths with my dad, yer' gonna dump me off like my ma' did to me when ya' walked through the door."

"Erica Emerald Dxon! Shut yer' goddamn trap before I," Daryl stepped closer to her, waving his fist around in her face, "shove it down yer' throat."

"Gonna hit me just as hard of what yer' plannin' to do to the prisoner?" Erica asked, proving her point pratically to her Uncle. Daryl noticed her eyes staring at the closed fist hovering in the air. He dropped his hand to his side, stepping away from her. "I'm gonna hurt just as much as he will when yer' bashin' his face in." Erica turned away from him, and found her way back to her tent. She slipped inside and lied on her side, staring away. She felt her chest for a necklace, a heart necklace that could open up. She squeezed it tight in her grasp, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

* * *

Erica sat up quickly, panting crazily. Waking up to a cold sweat isn't her favorite thing in this world. "Shit." She crawled out of her tent, standing straight up, looking around. "Dary?" She called out, noticing no squirrel, no crossbow, no nothing. Erica looked around, then went to his tent and pulled the flap back, there was a piece of crumbled paper sitting on his pillow. "Hell?" She leaned inside and picked it up. Erica opened it up, then read it aloud, "Erica, I thought about what you said last nigh- and I don't give a shit. You are right about hurting just the same as the prisoner, that's why I'm gonna hit him twice as harder. Uh, yeah." Erica tossed the note off to the side and jumped out of the tent and ran for it. The other camp was down the hill in front of the farm house of the old man's, Hershel. Erica reached the group, stopping in front of Maggie who carried peaches, "Hi. Where's my Uncle?"

"Interrogating-" Erica took a peach out of the basket and rushed off before Maggie could finish. She ran past Rick who yelled for her to lay off, but she ignored him.

Shane stepped into her way to stop her, she went full speed and rammed him to the side, then she slowed down to say, "Watch where yer' goin' frankinstein." Then she ran towards the shed, she was going to fast to slow down, she had body slammed the shed door. She ripped it open, witnessing her Uncle slugging his raging fist repeatedly into the prisoner's right cheek bone. He had no way of escaping, he was sobbing quietly to himself everytime Daryl got ready for another pound. Erica stumbled between her Uncle and Randall, she collapsed ontop of Randall's hip, holding her arm in the air. "Daryl! Stop! Stop!" He couldn't go through his niece, she was stronger than him with her fists. Daryl lowered his fist.

"Erica, the hell? Git out." Daryl reached for her arm, but she yanked out of his graps.

"Daryl. No. I'm not lettin' ya' hurt him anymore." Daryl stepped away right as Rick and Shane rushed through the door. Rick looked suprised at what he was seeing. Erica looked at Rick, "Rick, stop this." She begged.

"Erica, c'mon, I need to finish him off." Daryl said, reaching for her again, but she slapped his hand away from her. "Damn it, kid." Rick and Shane came towards her, but she wrapped her arms around Randall's waist, burrying her head into his chest.

"He's my ex-boyfriend!" Erica suddenly blurted out loud. Rick and Shane stopped in an instant. Randall sat up quickly, looking at Erica.

"What?!" Both Daryl and Randall said out loud. Erica thought for a second, _What should I say?_ She asked herself.

"Oh. Did I forget to tell my pa that we're datin'?" Erica looked at Randall, nodding her head slightly.

Randall looked up at the guys, he nodded then answered, "Yeah."

Daryl crossed his arms across his bold chest and snickered, "Oh yeah? How long have ya' both been goin'?" Daryl asked.

"Yes. How long, Erica?" Randall whispered sarcastically.

She looked at him half way, staring into his brown eyes, they were different, he was. "Two months prior...to the outbreak."

"Kiss him. You must got chemistry still." The sweet, lying grin across Erica's face vanished as she turned to look at the prisoner. She mouthed, 'What?' then he mouthed, 'now.' _What the hell?_ She said to herself, and grabbed Randally by the hair and planted one right on his lips. Rick bowed his head, trying not to laugh, Shane watched as he grinned to his entertainment, but Daryl stood there squeezing his fists tightly shut till they turned white. Randall pulled away, but kept his forehead rested against Erica's.

Randall then whispered, "Damn..." Erica smiled, knowing something's happened.

"That's it." Daryl bent down, wrapping his arms around Erica's waist and pulling her off of Randall, then he dropped her off to the side. Daryl turned towards Randall sent the final blow in, the fury from his anger made him punch Randall twice harder than before in the jaw.

"AH!" Randall cried out in pain as he recoiled to the side. Then Daryl angrily kicked Randall's wound. Erica stood up and jammed her fist straight across her Unckle's cheek. Daryl stumbled backwards, but gained his balance and gripped Erica's neck from the back and dragged her out of the shed.

"The hell is wrong with ya' stubborn punk?!" Daryl asked shoving Erica in front of him. Erica bent over, laughing her ass off. "Shit..."

"Karmas a bitch, huh?" Erica joked, Daryl rested his hands on his hips and stared her down. "Lighten up." Erica turned around and started to walk away from him.

"Rick is gonna finish him off tonight. Execution." Erica stopped instantly. That kiss. Those eyes. Those lips. Execution? Kiss. Eyes. Lips. Rick? What did she do? Erica turned around slowly, seeing the purpose in her Uncle's angered eyes. "There's yer' Ma's promise. 'Don't let my girl twist yer' thoughts.'"

Erica felt more tears raise, "Ooh..." Erica shook her head. She started walking back, pointing her finger downwards, "I had to live with the secrets, the lies, the fights! All my fucking life, because you and my ma' went hard everynight at my dad's house at half past ten! Sometimes with him in the other room!" Erica became just as crazy as her Uncle. "My mother caused her own goddamn daughter to drop outta high school, to drop her dreams of being a singer for a low life like you!"

"Ya' think yer' father was better?" Daryl shouted back. "He was just as messed up in the head from all the drugs he's been takin'!"

Erica wiped her tears away from her eyes, "I am nothin' like my mother!"

"Erica, you're treadin' on some mighty thin ice."

"I've lost people too."

"You's don't know what loss is!" Daryl shouted, straining his voice to shout in her face. But she knew what it felt like to loose someone close to her. That stabbing, lonesome feeling in the pit of her stomach, the urge to cry and scream everynight. She knew.

"Everyone i cared for either died or left me alone! Except-" Erica shoved Daryl away, "fucking you!"

Daryl clenched his teeth, then spoke sternly with a cold tone, "You're right...you're not your mother, and I'm sure as hell not your daddy." Erica shook her head and sucked it up, then stepped away slowly, then bit her lower lip and nodded.

"Wanna know sometin'?" She asked. Looking around to see the whole group watching them fight. "I've been waiting for the day I put a bullet in yer' skull." Erica turned and walked away from her Uncle. "I might be the one leaving, but yer' the one walking away, again." Erica decided to run to her tent, but half way there Dale stopped her.


End file.
